Devon Miller Throws Seventh Perfect Game in Program History During La Salle Doubleheader Sweep

Photo Gallery

Bronx, N.Y. – The Fordham softball team extended its win streak to 15 straight during Friday's doubleheader sweep of visiting La Salle and was highlighted by the seventh perfect game in program history, thrown by sophomore Devon Miller, the third Ram to ever accomplish the feat. The Rams improve to 18-3 overall and 6-0 in Atlantic 10 play.

"It took us a few innings to get going offensively, but we did a good job when we had runners in scoring position and especially with two outs." Head coach Melissa Inouye said, "Augie did a good job feeding the defense and getting nine strikeouts and then Mak came in to give them a different look. Devon set the tone early by striking out the side and it was fun to see her pitch with confidence. Amanda is a big part of all the strikeouts as she does a great job receiving. I thought our hitters did a better job swinging with confidence, having a plan, and having good at-bats."
 
Miller was the star in game two's 8-0 walk-off run-rule victory, striking out 12 Explorers overall, including the first seven batters of the contest. The Rams led 7-0 heading into the fifth and walked off with a double-single-double start to the frame to enact the run rule. Miller picked up her fourth win, her first career shutout, and lowered her ERA down to 1.93 on the season. She has now struck out 61 in 36.1 innings.
 
The Rams plated two in the first inning when Bella Ayala drove a pitch up the middle to s core Julia Martine and Bailey Enoch, the latter leading off for the first time this year by getting hit by a pitch, a team-high sixth time that has happened to the freshman. La Salle committed all four errors in the game in the third inning alone which led to four runs for the hosts and Miller helped pad her own lead in the fourth with a two-out RBI single to score Gianna Ranieri, who had pinch-hit with an infield single at the top of the inning. Michaela Carter started the fifth with a double to left, moved to third on Brianna Pinto's single to left, and scored the game-ending run on Enoch's double to right centerfield.
 
In game one, Madie Aughinbaugh improved to 9-0 on the season with just two runs allowed over six innings, striking out nine Explorers and walking just one before giving way to Makenzie McGrath, who worked around a single for a clean frame.
 
La Salle took the lead in game one with a lead-off Victoria Zatko solo home run to start the second and the two pitchers kept the offenses at bay otherwise until the fourth when Fordham struck for three runs. Martine led off with a double and scored on an Ayala double, who then scored on a Carter single to center. The sophomore stole second, which helped her score easily on Pinto's double to left. La Salle nearly tied the game up in the top-half of the fifth, scoring its second run on Casey Walker's RBI single with two on, but Walker was thrown out at second by Pinto from center to end the threat. The Rams busted loose for three insurance runs in the sixth, first with Ayala's third home run of the year leading off the inning and then an Enoch sac fly to score Carter and a double steal by Aughinbaugh and Pinto, the latter scoring on the play.
 
Ayala and Pinto led the offense on the day by both going 4-for-6, the former with four RBIs and three runs scored, the latter with three RBIs and a run. Enoch went 2-for-3 in game two, with the sac fly as a pinch hitter in game one, while Carter went 2-for-3 with two runs and a RBI in game two, going 3-for-6 on the day.
 
The Rams and Explorers conclude their series with a doubleheader tomorrow beginning at noon.